Holding steady.
Popularity of Donalyn since 1932
Babies named Donalyn per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1958, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Donalyn's real moment was 1948.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 6 |
| 1940s | 56 |
| 1950s | 95 |
| 1960s | 93 |
| 1970s | 41 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Donalyn is a modern American coinage, first recorded in 1932. It reached its peak rank in 1948, reflecting the mid-century fashion for names ending in -lyn. Though it has never entered the top 1000 nationally, it saw modest use during the 1940s. The name's trajectory has been stable in recent decades, with no significant revival. Its top states are not listed, indicating a dispersed pattern rather than regional concentration. Donalyn remains a rare choice, appealing to parents seeking a vintage-sounding yet distinctive name.
Donalyn is a modern coinage, blending the name Donna (from Italian for 'lady') or Donald (from Gaelic Domhnall, 'world ruler') with the popular suffix -lyn. It emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, following the trend of creating feminine names with the -lyn ending. Its peak usage occurred in the 1940s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Donna, Lyn, Dona
Variants: Donalynn
Sibling names for Donalyn
Names that share Donalyn's style, for a brother or sister.
